Method and apparatus for providing widget information using an mpeg-2 layer

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a method for providing a widget service. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for providing a widget service for a receiving device using a Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-2 layer, the method comprising the steps of: receiving MPEG broadcast data; loading a widget general information table (WGIT) stored in program specific information (PSI) of the MPEG broadcast data; loading the information indicated by a widget information table (WIT) of the WGIT; and generating a widget using the information indicated by the WIT.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providingwidget information in a system using Moving Picture Experts GroupProgram Specific Information (MPEG PSI), Advanced Television SystemsCommittee Program and System Information Protocol (ATSC PSIP), andDigital Video Broadcasting (DVB) Program Specific Information/ServiceInformation (PSI/SI).

2. Description of the Related Art

The recent multimedia service is simultaneously providing asupplementary service such as a widget form to a user, together with amain service provided.

If a widget service is provided to a real-time provided service, forexample, a broadcast service, a service provider can additionallyprovide various supplementary services related to the broadcast service.

Accordingly, a method and apparatus for providing the widget service tothe real-time broadcast service are needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the present invention is to substantially solve at leastthe above problems and/or disadvantages and to provide at least theadvantages below. Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is toprovide a method and apparatus for providing widget information using anMPEG-2 layer.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method andapparatus for connecting a main service and a widget service by usingMPEG PSI.

A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a method andapparatus capable of providing information by using a widget service.

The above aspects are achieved by providing a method and apparatus forproviding widget information using an MPEG-2 layer.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for providinga widget service for a receiving device using a Moving Picture ExpertsGroup (MPEG)-2 layer is provided. The method includes the operations ofreceiving MPEG broadcast data, loading a Widget General InformationTable (WGIT) stored in Program Specific Information (PSI) of the MPEGbroadcast data, loading information indicated by a Widget InformationTable (WIT) of the WGIT, and generating a widget by using theinformation indicated by the WIT.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method forproviding a widget service for a transmitting device using an MPEG-2layer is provided. The method includes the operations of generating aWGIT and a WIT for a widget service, adding the generated WGIT and WITto MPEG PSI and completing MPEG data, and broadcasting the completedMPEG data.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, a receivingdevice of providing a widget service by using an MPEG-2 layer isprovided. The receiving device includes a modem for communicating withother nodes, a control unit receiving MPEG broadcast data through themodem, loading a WGIT stored in PSI of the MPEG broadcast data, loadinginformation indicated by a WIT of the WGIT, and generating a widget byusing the information indicated by the WIT, and a storage unit storingthe WGIT and WIT.

According to a yet another aspect of the present invention, atransmitting device for providing a widget service by using an MPEG-2layer is provided. The transmitting device includes a modem forcommunicating with other nodes, a control unit generating a WGIT and aWIT for a widget service, adding the generated WGIT and WIT to MPEG PSIand completing MPEG data, and broadcasting the completed MPEG datathrough the modem, and a storage unit storing the WGIT and WIT.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating an operation process of a receivingdevice for widget service provision according to an exemplary embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation process of atransmitting device for widget service provision according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating constructions of a transmittingdevice and a receiving device for widget service provision according toan exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the followingdescription, well-known functions or constructions are not described indetail since they would obscure the invention in unnecessary detail.And, terms described below, which are defined considering functions inthe present invention, can be different depending on user and operator'sintention or practice. Therefore, the terms should be defined on thebasis of the disclosure throughout this specification.

Below, the present invention describes a method and apparatus forproviding widget information using an MPEG-2 layer.

Table 1 shows a Widget General Information Table (WGIT) proposed in thepresent invention, and provides information about all widgets which areapplied to provided service or contents.

A receiving device, i.e., a user's device acquires information about allwidgets through the WGIT and then, receives information (for example,contents) about an additionally necessary widget from a correspondingserver or device (transmitting device) and uses the receivedinformation.

TABLE 1 Widget General Information Table Table ID version info WidgetGeneral Retransmission period Information Table Info Server URL WidgetInformation Widget information table 1 WIT ID Table Info Versiontransmission time Repetition period Location 2^(nd) location Widgetinformation table 2 WIT ID Version transmission time Repetition periodLocation 2nd location Widget information table n WIT ID Versiontransmission time Repetition period Location 2nd location

In Table 1 above, the ‘Table ID’ is an identifier capable of identifyingthe WGIT in PSI of an MPEG

The ‘Version info’ is version information of the WGIT. When the versioninformation of the WGIT has been changed, the receiving devicepreviously receiving the WGIT can again receive a WGIT. When anarbitrary field value within the WGIT has been changed, the ‘Versioninfo’ increases by ‘1’.

The ‘Retransmission Period’ provides information about a transmissionperiod of the WGIT, and provides information about whether a user'sterminal can again receive the WGIT at which time point.

The ‘Server URL’ represents an address of a server capable of acquiringthe WGIT such that the receiving device can receive the WGIT through aninteraction channel. The ‘Server URL’ can be used when the user's deviceneeds to acquire the WGIT before a next reception time point of theWGIT.

In Table 1 above, the ‘Widget Information Table Info’ providesinformation about the respective widgets which are used for the serviceor contents provided to a user.

The ‘Widget information table 1’ is described by way of example. The‘WIT ID’ is an identifier of a Widget Information Table (WIT), and the‘version’ is version information of the WIT.

The ‘Transmission time’ is the first transmission time point of the WIT,and the ‘Repetition period’ provides a repetition transmission period ofthe WIT and informs a reception possibility time point of a WIT 1required by the user's device.

The ‘Location’ provides information about a Transport Stream (TS) inwhich the WIT 1 is transmitted. By providing an address of a servercapable of acquiring the WIT 1, when the user's device has a two-waycommunication function, the ‘2^(nd) location’ enables to acquireinformation about the WIT 1 before a transmission time point of theWIT 1. The ‘Widget information table info’ provides information about aWIT of up to ‘n’.

Table 2 shows a structure of a Widget Information Table proposed in thepresent invention.

TABLE 2 Widget information Table ID Version info Repetition PeriodWidget General info Widget ID Widget name Widget manufacturer Widgetkind 1st location 2nd location Widget application info Service#1 IDValidity Service#2 ID Validity Service#3 ID Validity

The ‘ID’ of Table 2 above is an identifier of the Widget informationtable, and the ‘Version info’ is version information of the WIT.

In the present invention, the user's device can acquire the versioninformation of the WIT from the WGIT, but even the WIT provides theversion information of the WIT in order to determine if the user'sdevice acquires a right WIT.

The ‘Repetition period’ provides information about a transmissionrepetition period of the WIT.

The ‘Widget general info’ provides general information about the widgetwhich the WIT provides information on, and includes the items asfollows.

The ‘Widget ID’, a widget identifier, is an identifier allocated by amanufacturer or can be allocated by a service provider or a managermanaging the widget.

The ‘Widget name’ is a name of the widget being identifiable by theuser. The ‘Widget manufacturer’ represents a person who has made thewidget. The ‘Widget kind’ represents the kind of the widget, for oneexample, represents the use of the widget such as a communicatingwidget, an announcing widget and the like.

The ‘1^(st) location’ provides information capable of, when a widgetindicated by the WIT is transmitted through a transmitting device,acquiring the widget (for instance, it can be information of an MPEG TS,information about MPEG contents). The ‘2^(nd) location’ provides anaddress capable of acquiring the widget.

In Table 2 above, the ‘widget application info’ provides a list(service#1, service#2, and service#3) of services or contents for whichthe widget indicated by the WIT can be used.

Among these, the service#1 is described by way of one example. The ‘ID’of the service#1 is a service identifier, and provides identifierinformation of a 20 service for which the widget is used. The ‘validity’of the service#1 represents the validity of the widget provided by theWIT and can enable the user's device to use the widget during a suitabletime.

The WGIT and WIT are included in the PSI of the MPEG As long as thetransmitting device, i.e., the service provider broadcasts MPEG data,the WGIT and WIT are broadcasted together with the MPEG broadcast data.

The transmitting device can update the WGIT and WIT according to need,and broadcast the updated WGIT and WIT.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating an operation process of a receivingdevice for widget service provision according to an exemplary embodimentof the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the receiving device receives a WGIT included inPSI of MPEG broadcast data provided by a transmission side, i.e., aservice provider (step 110). That is, the receiving device receives theMPEG broadcast data, and loads the WGIT from the PSI of the MPEGbroadcast data. The WGIT is illustrated in Table 1 above.

Next, the receiving device analyzes the received WGIT (step 115). UponWGIT analysis, the receiving device analyses even a WIT included in theWGIT, together.

After the analysis, the receiving device receives contents orinformation referred by the WIT from a corresponding device, based onthe analysis result of the WGIT and WIT (step 120). The WIT isillustrated in Table 2 above.

Next, when there is a widget display request from a user (step 125), thereceiving device generates a widget to be displayed, based on thereceived WGIT, WIT, and WIT referring contents, and displays thegenerated widget (step 130).

The process of generating the widget can include a process of arraying25 the contents referred by the WIT or the information indicated by theWIT in series or in parallel on a screen.

Next, the receiving device checks whether the WIT has been updatedperiodically or according to a request of a user or program and, whenthe WIT has been updated (step 135), the receiving device receives theupdated WIT (step 140).

After that, the receiving device checks whether the WGIT has beenupdated periodically or according to a request of the user or programand, when the WGIT has been updated (step 145), the receiving devicereceives the updated WGIT (step 150).

If there is a change of version information within corresponding Table,the receiving device determines that the WIT and WGIT have been updated.And, a period by which the receiving device checks whether the WIT andWGIT have been updated follows the ‘Retransmission period’ of Table 1and Table 2 above.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an operation process of atransmitting device for widget service provision according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, a transmitting device, i.e., a service providergenerates a WIT and a WGIT for a widget service (steps 210 and 215).

Next, the transmitting device includes the generated WGIT and WIT inMPEG PSI and broadcasts it (step 220).

In the broadcasting process, if there is a need for WGIT and WITupdating, the transmitting device performs updating for the WGIT andWIT, and updates even the version information, together. Next, thetransmitting device includes the updated WGIT and WIT in the PSI andbroadcasts it in a next period. The next period follows the‘Retransmission period’ of Table 1 and Table 2 above.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating constructions of a transmittingdevice and a receiving device for widget service provision according toan exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The receiving device is first described with reference to FIG. 3. Thereceiving device includes a modem 310, a control unit 320, and a storageunit 330. The control unit 320 includes a PSI processing unit 325.Though not illustrated in the drawings, the receiving device includes aninput unit for receiving provision of a user input, and a display unitfor outputting information to a user. Herein, it is assumed that thereceiving device uses a wireless communication, but a communicationtechnology of the receiving device is not limited to wired, wireless.

The modem 310, which is a module for communicating with other devices,includes a wireless processing unit, a baseband processing unit and thelike. The wireless processing unit converts a signal received through anantenna into a baseband signal and provides the baseband signal to thebaseband processing unit, and converts a baseband signal from thebaseband processing unit into a wireless signal such that the wirelesssignal can be actually transmitted on a wireless path, and transmits thewireless signal through the antenna. In the present invention, awireless access technology of the modem 310 is not limited.

The control unit 320 controls the general operation of the receivingdevice and, particularly, controls the PSI processing unit 325 accordingto the present invention.

The storage unit 330 performs a function of storing a program forcontrolling the general operation of the receiving device and temporarydata generated during program execution.

The PSI processing unit 325 receives a WGIT included in PSI of MPEGbroadcast data provided by a transmission side, i.e., a serviceprovider. That is, the PSI processing unit 325 receives the MPEGbroadcast data, and loads the WGIT from the PSI of the MPEG broadcastdata. The WGIT is illustrated in Table 1 above.

Next, the PSI processing unit 325 analyzes the received WGIT. Upon WGITanalysis, the PSI processing unit 325 analyses even a WIT included inthe WGIT, together.

After the analysis, the PSI processing unit 325 receives contents orinformation referred by the WIT from a corresponding device, based onthe analysis result of the WGIT and WIT. The WIT is illustrated in Table2 above.

Next, when there is a widget display request from a user, the PSIprocessing unit 325 generates a widget to be displayed, based on thereceived WGIT, WIT, and WIT referring contents, and displays thegenerated widget.

Next, the PSI processing unit 325 checks whether the WIT has beenupdated periodically or according to a request of a user or program and,when the WIT has been updated, the PSI processing unit 325 receives theupdated WIT.

After that, the PSI processing unit 325 checks whether the WGIT has beenupdated periodically or according to a request of the user or programand, when the WGIT has been updated, the PSI processing unit 325receives the updated WGIT.

If there is a change of version information within corresponding Table,the PSI processing unit 325 determines that the WIT and WGIT have beenupdated. And, a period by which the receiving device checks whether theWIT and WGIT have been updated follows the ‘Retransmission period’ ofTable 1 and Table 2 above.

Henceforth, the transmitting device is described. The transmittingdevice includes a modem 310, a control unit 320, and a storage unit 330.The control unit 320 includes a PSI processing unit 325. Though notillustrated in the drawings, the transmitting device includes an inputunit for receiving provision of a user input, and a display unit foroutputting operation information of the transmitting device. Herein, itis assumed that the transmitting device uses a wired communication, buta communication technology of the transmitting device is not limited towired, wireless.

The modem 310, which is a module for communicating with other devices,includes a wired processing unit, a baseband processing unit and thelike. The wired processing unit converts a signal received through awired path into a baseband signal and provides the baseband signal tothe baseband processing unit, and converts a baseband signal from thebaseband processing unit into a wired signal such that the wired signalcan be actually transmitted on a wired path, and transmits the wiredsignal through the wired path. In the present invention, a wiredcommunication technology of the modem 310 is not limited.

The control unit 320 controls the general operation of the transmittingdevice and, particularly, controls the PSI processing unit 325 accordingto the present invention.

The storage unit 330 performs a function of storing a program forcontrolling the general operation of the transmitting device andtemporary data generated during program execution.

The PSI processing unit 325 generates a WIT and a WGIT for a widgetservice. The PSI processing unit 325 includes the generated WIT and WGITin MPEG PSI and broadcasts it.

In the broadcasting process, if there is a need for WGIT and WITupdating, the PSI processing unit 325 performs updating for the WGIT andWIT, and updates even the version information, together. Next, the PSIprocessing unit 325 includes the updated WGIT and WIT in the PSI andbroadcasts it in a next period. The next period follows the‘Retransmission period’ of Table 1 and Table 2 above.

In the aforementioned block construction, the control unit 320 of eachof the receiving device and the transmitting device can perform afunction of the PSI processing unit 325 of each of the receiving deviceand the transmitting device. In the present invention, these areseparately constructed and shown in order to distinguish and describerespective functions.

Accordingly, when a product is actually realized, the product can beconstructed such that the control unit 320 can process all the functionsof the PSI processing unit 325, or can be constructed such that thecontrol unit 320 can process only some of the functions.

The present invention has an advantage of being capable of providinginformation necessary for a widget service by using MPEG PSI and, byproviding the widget service, providing various services related to areal-time broadcast service upon providing the real-time broadcastservice.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference tocertain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined by the appended claims.

1. A method for providing a widget service in a receiving apparatususing a Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-2 layer, the methodcomprising the operations of: receiving MPEG broadcast data; loading aWidget General Information Table (WGIT) stored in Program SpecificInformation (PSI) of the MPEG broadcast data; loading informationindicated by a Widget Information Table (WIT) of the WGIT; andgenerating a widget by using the information indicated by the WIT. 2.The method of claim 1, further comprising the operations of: based on atransmission repetition period comprised in the WGIT and WIT, if thetransmission repetition period arrives, checking whether the WGIT andWIT have been updated; and when the WGIT and WIT have been updated,loading the updated WGIT and WIT, wherein the operation of checkingwhether the WGIT and WIT have been updated comprises the operation ofchecking whether version information comprised in the WGIT and WIT hasbeen changed.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the operationof, when a user or program receives a widget display request, displayingthe generated widget.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the WGITcomprises information representing a WGIT identifier, informationrepresenting a version of the WGIT, information representing thecharacteristics of the WGIT, and information representing at least oneWIT used for a service or contents provided to a user.
 5. The method ofclaim 4, wherein the information representing the characteristics of theWGIT comprises information about a transmission period of the WGIT, andinformation representing an address of a server capable of acquiring theWGIT, wherein the information representing the WIT comprises informationrepresenting an identifier of the WIT, information representing a WITversion, information representing the first transmission time point ofthe WIT, information representing a repetition transmission period ofthe WIT, information about a Transport Stream (TS) in which the WIT istransmitted, and information representing an address of a server capableof acquiring the WIT.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the WITcomprises information representing a WIT identifier, informationrepresenting a WIT version, information representing a transmissionrepetition period of the WIT, general information about the widgetprovided by the WIT, and information representing a list of at least oneservice or content usable by the widget indicated by the WIT.
 7. Themethod of claim 6, wherein the general information about the widgetprovided by the WIT comprises information representing a widgetidentifier, information representing a widget name, informationrepresenting a widget manufacturer, information representing a widgetkind, information representing a TS capable of acquiring the widget, andinformation representing an address of a server capable of acquiring thewidget, and wherein the information representing the list of the serviceor content usable by the widget indicated by the WIT comprisesinformation representing an identifier of the service for which thewidget is used and information representing the validity of the widget.8. A method for providing a widget service in a transmitting apparatususing an a Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-2 layer, the methodcomprising the operations of: generating a Widget General InformationTable (WGIT) and a Widget Information Table (WIT) for a widget service;adding the generated WGIT and WIT to MPEG Program Specific Information(PSI) and completing MPEG data; and broadcasting the completed MPEGdata.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the operations of:updating the WGIT or WIT; adding the updated WGIT and WIT to the MPEGPSI and completing the MPEG data; and broadcasting the completed MPEGdata in a transmission repetition period, wherein the operation ofupdating the WGIT or WIT comprises the operation of updating versioninformation comprised in the WGIT and WIT.
 10. The method of claim 8,wherein the WGIT comprises information representing a WGIT identifier,information representing a version of the WGIT, information representingthe characteristics of the WGIT, and information representing at leastone WIT used for a service or contents provided to a user.
 11. Themethod of claim 10, wherein the information representing thecharacteristics of the WGIT comprises information about a transmissionperiod of the WGIT, and information representing an address of a servercapable of acquiring the WGIT, wherein the information representing theWIT comprises information representing an identifier of the WIT,information representing a WIT version, information representing thefirst transmission time point of the WIT, information representing arepetition transmission period of the WIT, information about a TransportStream (TS) in which the WIT is transmitted, and informationrepresenting an address of a server capable of acquiring the WIT. 12.The method of claim 8, wherein the WIT comprises informationrepresenting a WIT identifier, information representing a WIT version,information representing a transmission repetition period of the WIT,general information about a widget provided by the WIT, and informationrepresenting a list of at least one service or content usable by thewidget indicated by the WIT.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein thegeneral information about the widget provided by the WIT comprisesinformation representing a widget identifier, information representing awidget name, information representing a widget manufacturer, informationrepresenting a widget kind, information representing a TS capable ofacquiring the widget, and information representing an address of aserver capable of acquiring the widget, and wherein the informationrepresenting the list of the service or content usable by the widgetindicated by the WIT comprises information representing an identifier ofthe service for which the widget is used and information representingthe validity of the widget.
 14. A receiving apparatus for providing awidget service using a Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-2 layer, theapparatus comprising: a modem for communicating with other nodes; astorage unit storing a Widget General Information Table (WGIT) and aWidget Information Table (WIT); and a control unit configured to receiveMPEG broadcast data, to load a WGIT stored in Program SpecificInformation (PSI) of the MPEG broadcast data, to load informationindicated by a WIT of the WGIT, and to generate a widget by using theinformation indicated by the WIT.
 15. A transmitting apparatus forproviding a widget service using a Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG)-2layer, the apparatus comprising: a modem for communicating with othernodes; a storage unit storing a Widget General Information Table (WGIT)and a Widget Information Table (WIT); and a control unit, wherein thecontrol unit is configured to generate a Widget General InformationTable (WGIT) and a Widget Information Table (WIT) for a widget service,to add the generated WGIT and WIT to MPEG Program Specific Information(PSI), to complete MPEG data, and to broadcast the completed MPEG data.16. The transmitting apparatus of claim 15, wherein the control unit isfurther configured to update the WGIT or WIT, to add the updated WGITand WIT to the MPEG PSI, to complete the MPEG data and to broadcast thecompleted MPEG data in a transmission repetition period, wherein thecontroller is configured to update version information comprised in theWGIT and WIT in order to update the WGIT or WIT.
 17. The transmittingapparatus of claim 15, wherein the WGIT comprises informationrepresenting a WGIT identifier, information representing a version ofthe WGIT, information representing the characteristics of the WGIT, andinformation representing at least one WIT used for a service or contentsprovided to a user.
 18. The transmitting apparatus of claim 17, whereinthe information representing the characteristics of the WGIT comprisesinformation about a transmission period of the WGIT, and informationrepresenting an address of a server capable of acquiring the WGIT, andwherein the information representing the WIT comprises informationrepresenting an identifier of the WIT, information representing a WITversion, information representing the first transmission time point ofthe WIT, information representing a repetition transmission period ofthe WIT, information about a Transport Stream (TS) in which the WIT istransmitted, and information representing an address of a server capableof acquiring the WIT.
 19. The transmitting apparatus of claim 15,wherein the WIT comprises information representing a WIT identifier,information representing a WIT version, information representing atransmission repetition period of the WIT, general information about awidget provided by the WIT, and information representing a list of atleast one service or content usable by the widget indicated by the WIT.20. The transmitting apparatus of claim 19, wherein the generalinformation about the widget provided by the WIT comprises informationrepresenting a widget identifier, information representing a widgetname, information representing a widget manufacturer, informationrepresenting a widget kind, information representing a TS capable ofacquiring the widget, and information representing an address of aserver capable of acquiring the widget, and wherein the informationrepresenting the list of the service or content usable by the widgetindicated by the WIT comprises information representing an identifier ofthe service for which the widget is used and information representingthe validity of the widget.
 21. The receiving apparatus of claim 14, thecontrol unit is further configured to check whether the WGIT and WIThave been updated if the transmission repetition period arrives based ona transmission repetition period comprised in the WGIT and WIT and toload the updated WGIT and WIT when the WGIT and WIT have been updated,wherein the control unit is configured to check whether versioninformation comprised in the WGIT and WIT has been changed in order tocheck whether the WGIT and WIT have been updated.
 22. The receivingapparatus of claim 14, the control unit is further configured to displaythe generated widget when a user or program receives a widget displayrequest,
 23. The receiving apparatus of claim 14, wherein the WGITcomprises information representing a WGIT identifier, informationrepresenting a version of the WGIT, information representing thecharacteristics of the WGIT, and information representing at least oneWIT used for a service or contents provided to a user.
 24. The receivingapparatus of claim 23, wherein the information representing thecharacteristics of the WGIT comprises information about a transmissionperiod of the WGIT, and information representing an address of a servercapable of acquiring the WGIT, and wherein the information representingthe WIT comprises information representing an identifier of the WIT,information representing a WIT version, information representing thefirst transmission time point of the WIT, information representing arepetition transmission period of the WIT, information about a TransportStream (TS) in which the WIT is transmitted, and informationrepresenting an address of a server capable of acquiring the WIT. 25.The receiving apparatus of claim 14, wherein the WIT comprisesinformation representing a WIT identifier, information representing aWIT version, information representing a transmission repetition periodof the WIT, general information about the widget provided by the WIT,and information representing a list of at least one service or contentusable by the widget indicated by the WIT.
 26. The receiving apparatusof claim 25, wherein the general information about the widget providedby the WIT comprises information representing a widget identifier,information representing a widget name, information representing awidget manufacturer, information representing a widget kind, informationrepresenting a TS capable of acquiring the widget, and informationrepresenting an address of a server capable of acquiring the widget, andwherein the information representing the list of the service or contentusable by the widget indicated by the WIT comprises informationrepresenting an identifier of the service for which the widget is usedand information representing the validity of the widget.